


A Lockdown!

by Ellienerd14



Category: I Was Born for This - Alice Oseman
Genre: 5 Things, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Pining, Rowan and Lister annoying each other for five weeks straight, lockdown - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:14:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25094434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellienerd14/pseuds/Ellienerd14
Summary: With their upcoming tour post-phoned and a national lockdown, Lister is left to his own entertainment. Much to the fraustation of his roommates.OR - the five times Lister annoys Rowan in lockdown(Inspired by Tumblr art by raspberry-puff)
Relationships: Allister "Lister Bird & Jimmy Kaga-Ricci & Rowan Omondi, Allister "Lister" Bird/Jimmy Kaga-Ricci, Frances Janvier/Rowan Omondi
Comments: 8
Kudos: 50





	A Lockdown!

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this [**comic**](https://raspberry-puff.tumblr.com/post/613144736667238400/if-you-had-told-me-a-few-months-ago-i-would-be) by [**@raspberry-puff**](https://raspberry-puff.tumblr.com) on Tumblr, who gave me permission to write this. They do so much lovely art, which I recommend checking out. 
> 
> This was very fun to write! Lockdown has been a nightmare, so I hope everyone's doing okay!   
> Tumblr - @bazwillendinflames

**WEEK ONE - COMPLAINING**

“A quarantine?” Lister repeated, already looking distressed. 

“Deadass.” 

“No,” Jimmy whispered. “No, no, no, no-” 

“You broke him,” Lister said accusingly, wrapping an arm around him comfortingly. 

“I should be with Granddad and - where’s my phone - oh God, help me-” 

“Actually, since we travel so much-” 

Lister covered Jimmy’s ears and glared at him. “Don’t you dare.” 

* * *

“It’s four in the afternoon,” Rowan said, as he watched Lister throw dry cereal down his throat in a vaguely gremlinish way. How half their fanbase (and Jimmy) finds him attractive is a mystery to them all. 

“Time doesn’t exist anymore,” he replied through a full mouth. “I can't take this anymore.” 

“It’s been three days.” 

“I’m losing my mind,” Lister said, with extreme conviction. “Help me Ro-Ro.” 

Rowan lets his head thump against the table. 

“I mean, no shows, no practices, no parties-” 

“No parties anyway,” Rowan reminded him, his words muffled. 

“No fun.” 

“I’m moving out,” he threatened, for at least the ninth time that week. 

* * *

“I’m bored.” 

“Get off my lap,” Jimmy said, although he didn’t make any effort to move him. If it had Rowan, Lister would be lying on the floor right now. Jimmy was too weak willed when it came to him. 

“But I’m bored.” 

This exchange had been going on for at least ten minutes. Rowan took a picture and sent it to Frances. 

> **Help me**
> 
> **is it the pining?**
> 
> **or the complaining?**
> 
> **Both**
> 
> **rip**

* * *

“Ro-” 

“If you tell me you’re bored one more time, I will kill you.” 

Lister stuck out his tongue. 

“How long has it been?” Rowan asked Jimmy. 

“One week.” 

“Oh God,” he said. 

Jimmy pats him on the shoulder. “He can’t get any worse can he?” 

“Jim? I’m bored, come play Mario Kart with me?” 

Rowan groaned. 

* * *

**WEEK TWO - SHOPPING**

“Jimmy, did you do the online shop?” Rowan called, as he unpacked yet another multipack of crisps. 

“Huh?” He replied, wandering into the kitchen wrapped in a giant duvet. Jimmy frowned at the shopping bags covering the counters. “No.” 

“Are you sure? I thought you were trying to get a Tesco slot.” 

“For Grandad yeah,” Jimmy answered. “It took ages though so…” 

“Lister,” Rowan finished, with a sigh. 

“He offered and I didn’t want to call them again. You know I have phone anxiety.” 

Jimmy had _everything_ anxiety but he knew better than to bring it up. “Still, Lister. I could have done it.” 

“Sorry.” 

Rowan found the receipt at the bottom of a bag filled only with various Poptarts. “Oh god. He spent twenty pounds on J2O.” 

Jimmy seemed to find it much more amusing. “Well, now you don’t worry about his drinking.”

“Just his budgeting.” 

Jimmy observed the mountain of junk food. “Hey, I have an idea-” 

-

 **Rowan** **#theark | @rowanomondi**

> **Why Lister is banned from doing our shopping**
> 
> **[Picture of Jimmy with a stack of junk food besides him. He holds a single orange.]**

**Lister | @listerbirdoffical**

> **(replying to @rowanomondi)**
> 
> **i hate cancel culture**

* * *

“Another one?” Rowan asked, as Jimmy dropped a package on the sofa. It was vaguely soft when he gave it an investigative poke, so it was probably another memory foam pillow. (Lister had been having problems sleeping but four did seem a bit excessive now.) 

“I think it’s a plushy,” Jimmy said. They had lost interest in _Celebrity Come Dine With Me_ (although Rowan had added it to his list of reality TV he wanted to try - but only if Cecily couldn’t get him on Masterchef) and were now examining the package analytically. 

“Why would he order a plushy?” 

“He was googling Pokemon last night,” Jimmy said. “But, would he pay for one day shipping?” 

“Can you get one day shipping now?” 

He shrugged. “Lister would find a way. That bulbasaur was worth it.” 

“No way. It’s another pillow.” 

“Wrong!” Lister sang, swiping the parcel between them. He looked quite alert for someone who had just rolled out of bed. Typical he chose to do that _after_ Rowan had taken half a dozen sets of stairs to collect it for him. 

“Go on,” Jimmy said, “tell us.” 

“Drum roll please.” 

“Isn’t that your job?” 

“Ta-da!” Lister ripped it open and a bundle of fabric fell out. Too big for a hoodie… 

“You brought a cape,” Rowan said dryly. 

“I brought a cape!” Lister twirled in it. “Ro, there’s no rules anymore.” 

Rowan sighed. “Yeah. It’s starting to feel like that.”

* * *

**WEEK THREE - INTERRUPTING**

With their tour cancelled and with no way to record their own music, Frances had somehow ended up busier than him. (Rowan had tried song writing but Lister had shoved his sockpuppet in his face and put him off.) Frances lived with Aled and their boyfriend, which meant they could keep recording _‘Universe City’_ in lockdown. Which was good for Rowan as a fan (Frances still wouldn’t tell him who February was though) but not so good as her boyfriend. 

“Sorry,” Frances said, her voice static but still comforting. Her face filled the screen a moment later, she smiled at him sheepishly. “Hi Ro.”

“Hi love.” 

Frances was wrapped in a blanket, only her freckled face poking out. It was unbelievably sweet and Rowan wanted nothing more than to climb through the screen and cuddle her. 

“This is weird right?” 

“Tell me about it.” 

“Guess what I did today,” she teased. Frances waved a hand at him, which was speckled with pink. 

“Hair?” 

“Cut and colour. If art doesn’t work out, I could be a hairdresser. Even Dan let me do his.” 

“I could use your help, we’re all starting to grow mullets.” 

“New look for the art - waist length hair, full beards. Very biblical, right?” 

“Jimmy’s been trying to grow a beard for years.” 

Frances grinned. “Adorable.” 

“I think you're adorable one here.” 

She giggled, seeming a little more relaxed. “I’m not supposed to tell you but we are working on a new plot and we’re bringing back a character from the dead.” 

“Atlas?” Rowan asked, eagerly. “Frances, love, please tell me it’s Atlas.” 

“Actually it’s-” 

The door to his room burst open. “Rowan!” 

“Alliaster, I will end you,” he muttered. 

“Oh, hi Frances.” Lister flopped on his bed, “cute cape.” 

“It’s a blanket.” 

“Nice. Did Ro-Ro tell you I got an actual cape. I posted it on-” 

Rowan dragged him off the bed. Lister laughed as he was shoved out. “Should I knock next time?” 

“There won’t be a next time.” 

Lister rolled his eyes. “Sure. Bye Frances.” 

“Bye!” 

Rowan took his space back, readjusting his glasses. “So, about that spoiler-” 

“Did he really buy a cape?” Frances asked, scrolling through her phone. “I’m buying a cape.” 

He mentally cursed his idiot roommate. 

* * *

**WEEK FOUR - BOARD GAMES**

Rowan had always denied Jimmy’s claims he was competitive. (It was perfectly normal to mention the fact you won Bake Off when it was relevant. And it was relevant.) Really, it was the fault of Monopoly that things got ugly and it had been Lister’s idea. 

After Jimmy had hidden away Monopoly, scrabble took over as the game of choice. Rowan was really trying to not be competitive but-

“That’s not a real word.” 

“You can’t say that everytime,” Rowan said, “and quizzify is a real word, you’re just jealous I’m winning.” 

“Define it.” 

“It’s real!” 

“But I can’t have bullshit? I could have had a triple word score on that.” 

“That isn’t in the dictionary. I have the Scrabble app and-” 

“I use it more than quizzify.” 

“It’s on the app! Stop being difficult!”

Lister didn’t even try to hide his amusement. Jimmy had the decency to try and disguise his laughter as a series of muffled coughs. 

“Nah.” 

“Lister!” 

“I’m-” Jimmy managed to start through laughter, “I’m adding Scrabble to the banned games list.”

* * *

**WEEK FIVE - TIKTOK**

Jimmy knocked before he threw himself in the door. “Rowan,” he said breathlessly. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked, already pulling himself off his bed, mentally going over the ‘Jimmy having a panic attack’ step by step guide Cecily emailed them. 

“It’s Lister-” 

“Shit.” He had probably gone and stabbed himself again somehow and the last thing Rowan had said to him was to choke on the grape he threw earlier. He was a terrible friend, he was going to hell- 

“Is that… Britney Spears?” 

“Yeah.” Jimmy was grinning and Rowan decided he was going to move in with Frances as soon as lockdown was over. Possibly forever. “We’ve reached peak lockdown breakdown.” 

“What now?” 

“He’s making TikToks. It’s bad, isn’t it?” 

Rowan watched as Lister danced around the kitchen with neon pink sunglasses on. “Just when I thought he couldn’t sink any lower.” 

* * *

**Angel | @jimmysangels**

> **was anyone going to tell me lister bird smashed a watermelon over his head or was I supposed to open tiktok and see it myself**

**Juliet ❤️ | @thearktic**

> **(replying to @jimmysangels)**
> 
> **Ive watched this video ten times and I still laugh at Rowan's expression at the end**
> 
> **[phone screenshot of Rowan's horrified expression]**

**Jimmy | @jimmykagaricci**

> **(replying to @jimmysangels and @thearktic)**
> 
> **he did this ON OUR CARPET**

* * *

“Not you too,” Rowan said, watching from the safety of the kitchen. Jimmy looked vaguely guilty; Lister triumph, with a little watermelon still in his hair. 

“It’s fun,” he offered, “and I miss Vine.” 

Rowan felt about eighty years old. “I’m going to bed.” 

Lister hurried over, throwing an arm around his shoulder. “Look, Ro, how about a deal. No more late night TikToks-” 

“It’s actually two AM-” 

“If you do one with us and admit it’s not fun.” 

Jimmy did a thumbs up behind his back. 

“I hate you all,” he deadpanned, although he had said it so many times it had lost all meaning. 

Rowan snatched the phone off him. “I chose the song.” 

Lister and Jimmy high fived behind him. 

* * *

**Lister | @listerbirdoffical**

> **@** **rowanomondi finally gave in and tried TikTok and from now on the ark is only performing ten second skits**
> 
> **[video link of Rowan, Lister and Jimmy singing to Britney Spears 'Hit Me Baby One More Time' in their pyjamas]**

* * *

"And-" Lister said, wriggling his eyebrows at him. 

"It was fun," Rowan admitted, wondering if the pain of admitting he was wrong was equal or beyond when Lister got stabbed. 

"I knew it!"

Lister pulled him into a weird three person cuddle pile. Despite the fact Jimmy's elbow was shoved uncomfortably in his armpit, Rowan found himself laughing more than he had for all of lockdown. 

Maybe being stuck with his two best friends wasn't so bad after all. 

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this [**comic**](https://raspberry-puff.tumblr.com/post/613144736667238400/if-you-had-told-me-a-few-months-ago-i-would-be) by [**@raspberry-puff**](https://raspberry-puff.tumblr.com) on Tumblr, who gave me permission to write this. They do so much lovely art, which I recommend checking out. 


End file.
